Disease outbreaks among wildlife have surged in recent decades alongside climate change, although it remains unclear how climate change alters disease dynamics across different geographic regions. We amassed a global, spatiotemporal dataset describing parasite prevalence across 7346 wildlife populations and 2021 host-parasite combinations, compiling local weather and climate records at each location. We found that hosts from cool and warm climates experienced increased disease risk at abnormally warm and cool temperatures, respectively, as predicted by the thermal mismatch hypothesis. This effect was greatest in ectothermic hosts and similar in terrestrial and freshwater systems. Projections based on climate change models indicate that ectothermic wildlife hosts from temperate and tropical zones may experience sharp increases and moderate reductions in disease risk, respectively, though the magnitude of these changes depends on parasite identity.
This content will become publicly available on May 1, 2025
Climate change is a well‐documented driver and threat multiplier of infectious disease in wildlife populations. However, wildlife disease management and climate‐change adaptation have largely operated in isolation. To improve conservation outcomes, we consider the role of climate adaptation in initiating or exacerbating the transmission and spread of wildlife disease and the deleterious effects thereof, as illustrated through several case studies. We offer insights into best practices for disease‐smart adaptation, including a checklist of key factors for assessing disease risks early in the climate adaptation process. By assessing risk, incorporating uncertainty, planning for change, and monitoring outcomes, natural resource managers and conservation practitioners can better prepare for and respond to wildlife disease threats in a changing climate.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10509700
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1540-9295
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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This article is categorized under:
Climate, Ecology, and Conservation > Observed Ecological Changes
Climate, Ecology, and Conservation > Extinction Risk
Assessing Impacts of Climate Change > Evaluating Future Impacts of Climate Change
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